Philippians 2:3-8
“A Servant’s Heart”
I. It Is Sometimes About Us. (vs.3)
• How important is our attitude and motivation when we do something?
1. Vs. 3 We should never be motivated to serve out of strife.
o Strife- 1. A bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension. 2. An exertion of superiority.
o Some in the church at Philippi were doing this very thing (1: 15-17).
• If we are not careful and aware of our own attitude then we too can be guilty of this same thing.
o I’m doing this b/c someone made me angry.
o I’ll do it b/c no one else will.
o I’ll do it b/c you don’t think anyone can do it as well as you.
• If this is our attitude then we are carrying out the deeds of the flesh and not the Spirit.
Galatians 5:19-20 (NASB95)
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
2. We should never be motivated by pride or to bring attention upon ourselves.
Matthew 6:1-5 (NASB95)
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
• If any of these are our motivation to serve then it is best not to serve, however; not serving is not an option for Christians.
• Humility is the key, humility is not thinking less of ourselves, its just thinking more about others.
• Thinking more about others directly reflects our attitude towards God.
1 Peter 5:5-6 (NASB95)
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
II. It Is Most Often About Others (4-5)
• “Look not every man on his own things” is really saying don’t look only at your own needs.
o God is not saying we cannot provide for ourselves and our families.
o But look out for the interests of others.
Romans 15:1-2 (KJV)
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.
o We have a responsibility to serve one another in a way that will build each other up.
• We must ask ourselves this question: Do I come to church looking for what I can get out of it, or what I can put into it?
o Is it all about me, or is it all about God and others?
Vs. 5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Mark 10:45 (NIV)
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
• Even for Christ it was all about others; is that our heart, is that our desire?
• The fact is you may be the only one here with the heart to serve in a certain ministry.
o Do you see a need and wonder why it is not being done?
o God has given you the burden for it, no one else can see it.
III. It Is Always About Jesus (5-8)
Vs. 6 Jesus is God, the pre-incarnate Son of God, and yet when it came down to whether He chose His right to equality with God or us, He chose us!
Vs. 7 “But made Himself of no reputation,” literally translated “He emptied Himself.”
o He did not stop being God, He never gave up His claim to deity *
John 5:18 (NIV)
18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
John 8:58-59 (NIV)
58 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”(Deut. 3) 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
o What Jesus did do was to set aside His position of honor as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to become a servant, the Suffering Servant of God.
• Jesus left His home in Heaven to put on flesh.
o He suffered
o He was tempted
o He felt the pain of rejection
o He can sympathize with us because He went through it also and He overcame!
Hebrews 2:17-8 (NASB95)
17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
4:15
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Vs. 8 He humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross.
o Crucifixion (history)
• Jesus is our perfect example of humility and serving others, After Jesus washes the feet of the disciples and they share in the Lord’s last supper, Luke 22:24 tells us the disciples began to argue, and Jesus went through with it anyway
o Illustration #6128
Back to vs. 5 This is our command, “Have the same mind or attitude that Jesus had!” God really gives us no other option.
o Not just about those within the body
o Those without
1 Corinthians 10:33 (NASB95)
33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.
o Serving God, sometimes its about us and our attitude and motivation, most often its about others and their needs, but it is always about the Lord Jesus Christ:
o Following His example
o Edifying others
o Seeing the many come to a saving knowledge of Jesus!
• Have we let Jesus serve us? Isaiah 53:12 (ESV)
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
• Our we serving like Christ, with the right attitude for the benefit of others?
